Venice settles demotion suit

Published: Wednesday, September 25, 2013 at 1:00 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, September 25, 2013 at 12:03 a.m.

VENICE - For slightly more than $20,000, the Venice City Council on Tuesday settled a lawsuit filed by city Finance Director Jeffery Snyder.

Facts

IN OTHER ACTION

On Tuesday, the Venice City Council discussed or voted on the following:

• Utility work gets OK

The Utilities Department received authorization for two major upgrades.

The city will spend $6.7 million to replace its water treatment plant's 23-year-old reverse osmosis system, for which replacement parts now must be custom made, with a more efficient system.

It will also spend up to $512,751 for replacement of a 54-year-old force main that removes sewage from the island.

• 10 finalists for job

A selection committee of planning experts from other local governments selected 10 finalists to interview for the position of Venice's director of community development. After those interviews, it will make a recommendation to City Manager Ed Lavallee.

Chad Minor, the former director of community development, and Kellie Bricker, the former planning coordinator, resigned May 31 after a police officer reported finding them engaged in sexual activity in a parked car near Caspersen Beach Park.

Council members are anxious to get a new director hired because the department is understaffed and they want to proceed with an extensive overhaul of the city's comprehensive land use plan.

Senior planner Scott Pickett serves as interim director.

• Honoring an officer

The council presented a U.S. Army flag to Police Officer Joshua Rizzo in appreciation of his deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan.

• Advisers reappointed

James Middleton and CeCe O'Connor are reappointed to three-year terms on the Historic Preservation Board.

The lawsuit stemmed from Mayor John Holic's demotion of Snyder in February 2012 from a charter officer who answers directly to the City Council to a department head who answers to City Manager Ed Lavallee.

Holic said he had no choice because previous administrations failed to act on a decision made by the electorate. In a 2006 referendum, 56 percent of more than 9,000 voters revised the city charter to change the finance director's job description.

About four months later, Snyder sued — citing his February 2006 employment contract. He claimed that, because the city voided that contract, it owed him $65,520 in severance pay as well as any lost benefits.

The settlement does not call for any severance pay but does require the city to put $20,008 into a retirement account for Snyder established under his contract. The city did not make those payments during the 15 months of litigation because it considered the contract terminated.

Council members approved the agreement 6-0. Holic could not attend because of a death in his family.

Snyder declined to comment.

Council member Emilio Carlesimo noted that defending the case cost the city's insurer $24,000 and the city more than $6,700 in attorney fees.

Carlesimo said the lawsuit stemmed from “a unilateral action by the mayor” and that Holic probably should have consulted the council before he demoted Snyder.

“We're talking about procedure here,” Carlesimo said.

Other council members agreed with him that they should schedule an informal discussion about what decisions should be made collectively and the elected officials' duties as described in the city charter.

The change in job description allowed Snyder to keep his salary, which for the coming fiscal year will be $132,350. He lost his reserved parking spot and his seat on the dais with the council, city manager and city attorney.

<p><em>VENICE</em> - For slightly more than $20,000, the Venice City Council on Tuesday settled a lawsuit filed by city Finance Director Jeffery Snyder.</p><p>The lawsuit stemmed from Mayor John Holic's demotion of Snyder in February 2012 from a charter officer who answers directly to the City Council to a department head who answers to City Manager Ed Lavallee.</p><p>Holic said he had no choice because previous administrations failed to act on a decision made by the electorate. In a 2006 referendum, 56 percent of more than 9,000 voters revised the city charter to change the finance director's job description.</p><p>About four months later, Snyder sued — citing his February 2006 employment contract. He claimed that, because the city voided that contract, it owed him $65,520 in severance pay as well as any lost benefits.</p><p>The settlement does not call for any severance pay but does require the city to put $20,008 into a retirement account for Snyder established under his contract. The city did not make those payments during the 15 months of litigation because it considered the contract terminated.</p><p>Council members approved the agreement 6-0. Holic could not attend because of a death in his family.</p><p>Snyder declined to comment.</p><p>Council member Emilio Carlesimo noted that defending the case cost the city's insurer $24,000 and the city more than $6,700 in attorney fees.</p><p>Carlesimo said the lawsuit stemmed from “a unilateral action by the mayor” and that Holic probably should have consulted the council before he demoted Snyder.</p><p>“We're talking about procedure here,” Carlesimo said.</p><p>Other council members agreed with him that they should schedule an informal discussion about what decisions should be made collectively and the elected officials' duties as described in the city charter.</p><p>The change in job description allowed Snyder to keep his salary, which for the coming fiscal year will be $132,350. He lost his reserved parking spot and his seat on the dais with the council, city manager and city attorney.</p>